Licensure Application With Criminal History and Non-APA Doctorate
Dr. Priya Nair completed a doctoral degree in clinical psychology at a regionally accredited university that is not APA-accredited. She completed 1,800 hours of postdoctoral supervised experience under Dr. Chen, a psychologist licensed in Kansas. Dr. Chen was not licensed in Colorado and never provided supervision across state lines with a Colorado-approved contract. Dr. Nair now lives in Denver and wants to apply for Colorado licensure. She also has a 2019 misdemeanor DUI conviction and a 2021 deferred judgment for shoplifting that was dismissed. On the application, she is unsure whether to disclose the dismissed case. After licensure, she hopes to use PSYPACT to see clients in other states. She asks you, as a colleague, whether she qualifies and what she should do.
1. What should Dr. Nair disclose on her Colorado licensure application, and how will the Board evaluate her criminal history?
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Dr. Nair must disclose all criminal history the application asks about, including arrests, charges, convictions, deferred judgments, and dismissed cases. A deferred judgment is not erased for licensure purposes; it is a plea disposition that must be reported. Failure to disclose is itself unprofessional conduct and can lead to denial or discipline regardless of the underlying offense. The Board evaluates criminal history case by case, considering the nature and gravity of the offense, time elapsed, rehabilitation, compliance with sentencing, and relevance to psychology practice. She should provide certified court documents, proof of completion (e.g., DUI education, treatment, community service), and a candid personal statement. She should not assume the DUI or shoplifting automatically disqualifies her, but concealment will. She should also check whether the application asks for 'charges' versus 'convictions' and answer completely.
2. Do her supervised hours count, and is she eligible for PSYPACT? Explain the reasoning.
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Her supervised hours are at risk. Colorado Board rules require postdoctoral supervised experience to be provided by a supervisor who meets the Board's qualifications, and the supervision arrangement must comply with Colorado requirements. A Kansas-licensed supervisor who was not licensed in Colorado and did not use a Colorado-approved supervision contract may not count. She should contact the Board before applying to confirm whether any hours can be accepted and whether she needs additional supervised hours. PSYPACT is separate. To use the E.Passport, a psychologist must meet PSYPACT eligibility, which includes a doctoral degree from an APA- or CPA-accredited program (or equivalent as determined by PSYPACT) and a passing EPPP score. Because her program is not APA-accredited, she may not qualify unless she obtains an equivalency determination. She should not assume PSYPACT will solve multistate practice. She should verify with PSYPACT and the Colorado Board.